Biologist breeds bees to withstand winter
Shevelle Stephens breeds bees in Canada. • Photos Submitted
By Tom Victoria
Biologist Shevelle Stephens breeds bees to weather Canadian winters and boost the economy.
Shevelle, 33, and her husband, Glyn Stephens, 31, operate Revival Queen Bees in Edmonton. The couple breed queen bees to withstand the cold winters of Alberta.
“We wanted bees better adapted to the environment,” Shevelle said.
She said the winters can dip into 40 degrees below Celsius, which is also 40 degrees below Fahrenheit.
“Bees thrive in warmer climates,” Shevelle said.
She would not have predicted her eventual job considering how typical reaction to the buzzing insects.
“I was actually terrified of bees and all insects all my life,” Shevelle said.
But that did not stop her from breeding them. She was actually the one to suggest the couple should breed bees, hoping she would overcome her fear. Shevelle said that process did not take long.
“You look up and there’s a million bees above your head and you didn’t get stung,” she said.
“You look up and there’s a million bees above your head and you didn’t get stung.”
Shevelle, 33, and her husband, Glyn Stephens, 31, operate Revival Queen Bees in Edmonton.
Shevelle said if someone is careful, not moving too quickly and wearing white or light colors, there typically isn’t an issue.
“You’re forced to work slowly,” she said.
Shevelle now likes being around the rhythmic buzzing.
“It’s almost meditative,” she said.
Shevelle said another benefit is working outdoors.
The couple met when both attended the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Canterbury was the only place she could study abroad in her field through the University of Alberta.
“I didn’t know where New Zealand was,” Shevelle said.
The two hit it off while working on a school project together.
“We had a strong connection early on,” Shevelle said.
Glyn and Shevelle started dating, then married before long.
When Glyn was a youth, he bred queen bees at his family apiary, a collection of beehives, in New Zealand, so Shevelle thought they could breed bees in Edmonton.
Originally operating as Koha Apiaries in 2016, the duo concentrated on honey production and breeding. Simultaneously, Glyn worked as the lead bee inspector for Alberta Agriculture.
Glyn subsequently learned a major problem for Alberta beekeepers was the scarcity of local queens. Shevelle said that deficiency forced the beekeepers to rely mainly on bees imported from warmer climates.
The couple realized they could help the local beekeeping industry, so they shifted their focus to producing queen bees acclimated to cold winters.
“We want local stock,” Shevelle said.
Revival Queen Bees became the new company name.
“It makes us feel good we’re contributing to the economy,” Shevelle said.
The bees stay busy working for the hive.
The hives are wrapped in insulation, leaving the opening for the bees to enter and exit freely, during the winter. She said the bees cluster in a ball to keep warm.
During the breeding process, the couple replace queen bees who are too aggressive.
Shevelle said breeding is an educational process.
“I’m always learning more about insect behavior when I work with the bees,” she said. “They have an incredibly complex hive system for such a tiny insect.”
Shevelle credits the buzzing insects for much of the breeding process.
“All of the hard work is done by the bees,” she said.
Shevelle maintains a strong presence on LinkedIn and makes TikTok videos.
Now Shevelle allays the fears of others afraid of bees. When relatives visit her home, she promises them they won’t be bothered.
“They really keep to themselves for the most part,” she said.
The link to Revival Queen Bees' website is: https://revivalqueenbees.com/